Display method for a display system, display system and operating method for a navigation system of a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A display system includes a display for the graphic representation of changeable information, an operating unit for the control of the displayed information by a user, a proximity sensor which is arranged to detect an approach of the user to the operating unit, and a control unit. The control unit is coupled to the display, the operating unit and the proximity sensor. The control unit is arranged such that, as a function of an approach of the user to the operating unit, it alters the representation of the changeable information, such that a time rate of display change of the graphic representation of the changeable information is reduced.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/994,616, filed on Dec. 20, 2010, which is anational phase of PCT International Patent Application No.PCT/EP2009/002868, filed on Apr. 20, 2009, which claims priority toGerman Patent Application No. 10 2008 025 122.4, filed on May 26, 2008,each of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety byreference thereto.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a display method for a display systemand a corresponding display system, as well as, in particular, anoperating method for a navigation system of a vehicle.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In navigation systems in vehicles such as passenger cars or trucks, forexample, map representations of an area surrounding the vehicle aredisplayed on a display system in the vehicle. The map representationincludes roads in the vicinity of the vehicle, a symbolic representationof the vehicle as well as its position and orientation, and further“points of interest” (POI) which mark facilities or positions on the mapthat are of interest for the vehicle driver, such as hotels, gasstations, restaurants, toll stations and so forth. While the vehicle istraveling, the map representation is usually altered in such a way thatthe position of the host vehicle is always located at the same positionin the display system, despite its changing geographical position, andthe remaining objects in the map representation such as the roads andPOIs change their position on the display system accordingly. Thisensures an easy orientation of the driver with the aid of the maprepresentation.

The objects such as POIs or roads, for example, shown on the maprepresentation, may provide further information or functionalities thatare able to be called up or actuated by a user of the system, if needed.Thus, for instance, a POI that represents a hotel may supply furtherinformation, e.g., with respect to room rates, room amenities and roomavailability, or may provide a functionality for setting up a telephoneconnection to the hotel or a functionality for programming the addressof the hotel as a destination address of the navigation system.

For example, a user of the navigation system may interact with the maprepresentation of the navigation system via a touch-sensitive screen,referred to as a touchscreen, of the navigation system. In order to callup additional information or functionalities of an object shown on themap representation, it is then only necessary to touch the object on themap representation with a finger, for instance. Since, as describedabove, the objects or POIs move on the map representation while thevehicle is traveling, the challenge placed on the eye-hand coordinationof the operator to strike these moving targets is increased.Particularly if the system is operated by the driver of the vehicle,false hits thus occur increasingly, and the time glancing at the displaysystem is increased, which means the vehicle driver is distracted fromthe events occurring in road traffic. Moreover, these movable objectsmay move out of the display area of the display system before the driveror the operator has been able to select the destination.

Similar problems exist not only when working with the maprepresentations on a navigation system described above, but also in thecase of a multitude of applications in the vehicle with what arereferred to as animated displays that change as a function of a movementof the vehicle or as a function of information changing over time.

SUMMARY

Example embodiments of the present invention provide a display andoperating method for a display system that avoids the previouslydescribed problems when selecting objects of a graphic representation,that is, ensures a higher hit probability and at the same time helps toreduce the duration of the glance by the driver at the display system,to thereby reduce distraction from road traffic and to increase trafficsafety.

According to example embodiments of the present invention, a displaymethod is provided for a display system. The display system includes adisplay for the graphic representation of changeable information and anoperating unit for the control of the displayed information by a user.For instance, the operating unit may include a touch-sensitive surface,a so-called touchscreen, of the display. The display method includesdetection of an approach of the user to the operating unit andalteration of the graphic representation as a function of the detectedapproach to the operating unit. The graphic representation is alteredsuch that a time rate of display change of the graphic representation isreduced. A reduction of the time rate of display change of the graphicrepresentation means, for example, that the largest possible portion ofthe graphic representation on the display system is shown unaltered overtime. On one hand, a graphic representation altered in this mannerpermits the user, after turning away briefly from the display system inorder to look at the road in front of him, for example, to quicklyorient himself again in the graphic representation on the displaysystem, since only small changes have taken place in the graphicrepresentation in the meantime. Moreover, it is made easier for the userto touch movable objects on the graphic representation which, due to thedecreased display change, now move only slowly or no longer move at all.

The approach of the user to the surface of the display may be detectedwith the aid of a proximity sensor, for example. In this manner, thetime rate of display change of the graphic representation may already bereduced before the user actually touches the operating unit, so that thetime rate of display change of the graphic representation may already bereduced prior to a control or selection of the displayed information.

According to example embodiments of the present invention, the displaysystem may include a display system of a navigation system of a vehicle.In this case, the changeable information includes a representation of ageographical map of an area surrounding the vehicle and the position ofthe vehicle on the geographical map. If no approach of the user to theoperating unit is now detected, the vehicle is shown at a predeterminedlocation on the display, and the display change includes the change inthe representation of the geographical map as a function of a movementof the vehicle. For example, the vehicle may be shown centrally on thedisplay in a predetermined direction, so that the representation of thegeographical map is shown shifted and rotated on the display as afunction of the movement of the vehicle. If an approach of the userbelow a predetermined distance to the operating unit is detected, thegeographical map is shown unaltered on the display, and instead, thevehicle is shown variably on the display as a function of a movement ofthe vehicle. In this manner, objects of the map representation such as ahotel or a restaurant, for instance, together with the maprepresentation remain motionless on the display in response to theapproach of the user, thereby making it easy to select these objects.Furthermore, the position of the host vehicle continues to be apparentwith the aid of the display system.

Moreover, the display system may also include an optional furtherdisplay system of a vehicle that includes an “animated graphicrepresentation” in which an object of the graphic representation may beselected by a user via the operating unit in order, for instance, tocall up further functionalities of the object. The animated graphicrepresentation may change as a function of a movement of the vehicle,for example, or as a function of information changing over time.

According to example embodiments, the display change may include therepresentation of the geographical map as a function of a movement ofthe vehicle and the representation of the vehicle as a function of amovement of the vehicle, if an approach of the user above thepredetermined distance and below a further predetermined distance to theoperating unit is detected. In this case, the display change of therepresentation of the geographical map is already reduced in response toan approach of the user to the operating unit above the predetermineddistance, so that acquisition of the information of the geographicalmap, such as a road routing or a position of a hotel or restaurant, forexample, is simplified, since the geographical map now moves more slowlyon the display. In order to continue to correctly show the instantaneousposition of the vehicle, the position of the vehicle is changed on thedisplay, as well.

According to example embodiments of the present invention, in addition,an operating method for a navigation system of a vehicle is provided.The navigation system includes a display for the graphic representationof changeable information and an operating unit for the control of thedisplayed information by a user. The changeable information includes ageographical map of an area surrounding the vehicle and the position ofthe vehicle on this geographical map. The operating method includesselection of a display mode with the aid of the operating unit. A normalmode or a pause mode may be selected as display mode. In the normalmode, the vehicle is shown at a predetermined location on the display,and the geographical map is shown variably on the display as a functionof a movement of the vehicle. On the other hand, in the pause mode, thegeographical map is shown unaltered on the display, and the vehicle isshown variably on the display as a function of a movement of thevehicle.

In the normal mode, the user of the navigation system receives a clearrepresentation of the movement of his vehicle along a predeterminedroute, that is, the instantaneous surrounding area of the vehicle.Because in the normal mode, the vehicle is shown at a predeterminedlocation in a predetermined orientation on the display, an intuitiverepresentation of the route and the surrounding area of the vehicle inthe direction of travel of the vehicle is shown to the user. In thiscontext, the geographical map moves and rotates on the display as afunction of the movement of the vehicle. In order to select an objectsuch as a hotel or restaurant or another POI on the geographical map,the user may change to the pause mode, which means the representation ofthe geographical map remains unchanged from now on, and instead, themovement of the vehicle is shown as a change in the position andorientation of the vehicle on the display. This makes it easier for theuser to select an object on the geographical map such as a hotel or arestaurant in order, for example, to query further information regardingthis object or to input this object as a new destination address intothe navigation system.

According to example embodiments, the operating method may furtherinclude a return-travel mode, which shows the geographical map as a filmsequence as a function of a travel path previously covered by thevehicle. Furthermore, the operating method may also include a pre-travelmode, which shows the geographical map as a film sequence as a functionof a planned travel path, e.g., of a route calculated for the vehicle bythe navigation system. Due to the additional display modes for apre-travel and a return travel, respectively, the user is permitted inan easy manner to look at already-transited or future route sections ofthe traveled or planned route in order, for example, in conjunction withthe pause mode, to access objects on the geographical map which are nolonger or not yet in the present segment of the display.

For instance, the operating unit may include a touch-sensitive surfaceof the display. In this manner, with the aid of predetermined areas ofthe touch-sensitive surface of the display, the different display modessuch as normal mode, pause mode, etc., may be selected by touching thesepredetermined areas. Moreover, it is also possible to access the objectsof the geographical map by the touch-sensitive surface of the display.

The operating method may further include the previously describeddisplay method in order to alter the graphic representation as afunction of a detected approach of the user to the operating unit.

Finally, according to example embodiments of the present invention, adisplay system is provided which includes a display for the graphicrepresentation of changeable information, an operating unit for thecontrol of the displayed information by a user, a proximity sensor fordetecting an approach of the user to the operating unit, and a controlunit. The control unit is coupled to the display, the operating unit andthe proximity sensor. The control unit is arranged such that, as afunction of an approach of the user to the operating unit, it alters therepresentation of the changeable information such that a time rate ofdisplay change of the graphic representation of the changeableinformation is reduced. Moreover, the display system may be arranged toimplement the method described above, and therefore includes thepreviously described advantages, as well.

Example embodiments of the present invention are explained in thefollowing description, with reference to the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a display system according to an example embodiment thepresent invention, which portrays a geographical map and a position of avehicle on the geographical map.

FIG. 2 shows the display system of FIG. 1 having a representation of thegeographical map altered as a function of a movement of the vehicle.

FIG. 3 shows the display system of FIG. 2 having a representation of thevehicle on the geographical map, the representation being altered as afunction of a movement of the vehicle.

FIG. 4 shows the display system of FIG. 1, with additional operatingelements for setting a display mode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a display system 1, which includes a display 2 and anoperating unit 3 in the form of a touch-sensitive surface of display 2.Display system 1 also includes a proximity sensor (not shown), which isarranged to detect an approach of, for example, a finger of a user intothe proximity of display 2. Display 2 of display system 1 is arrangedsuch that information of a navigation system, for instance, may berepresented graphically. For example, FIG. 1 shows the representation ofa segment of a geographical map which includes two roads 5 and 6 as wellas a building 7 of special interest such as a hotel or a restaurant.Also shown on display 2 is a symbol 4 which represents the position andorientation of the host vehicle with respect to the segment of thegeographical map. In the present case, symbol 4 is an arrow whichrepresents the orientation of the vehicle in the case of forward drivingin the direction of the arrow.

Display system 1 is arranged such that if no approach of the user tooperating unit 3 is detected by the proximity sensor, the position andorientation of vehicle symbol 4 remains unchanged in relation to display2, that is, vehicle symbol 4 is disposed substantially in the middle ofdisplay 2, and points upwards with its arrowhead in FIG. 1. In responseto a movement of the vehicle, the graphic representation on display 2 isaltered to the effect that the map segment is rotated and/or shifted inaccordance with the vehicle movement, so that the positioning andorientation of vehicle symbol 4 remain unaltered.

FIG. 2 shows the graphic representation of display system 1 of FIG. 1after the vehicle has moved along road 5 in the direction of road 6. Themap segment was rotated and shifted accordingly, the position andorientation of vehicle symbol 4 being unchanged relative to display 2.On the other hand, the position of building 7, together with the mapsegment, i.e., roads 5 and 6, has changed correspondingly.

Display system 1 is further arranged such that, for example, it is ableto obtain and display further information with regard to building 7 oninstruction by a user of display system 1. To that end, building 7 mustbe touched with the aid of a stylus or a finger of the user ontouch-sensitive operating unit 3 of display 2. However, as described inconnection with FIGS. 1 and 2, since the position of building 7 changeson display 2 as the vehicle is traveling, display system 1 detects anapproach of the stylus or of the finger of the user to operating unit 3with the aid of the proximity sensor. As soon as an approach tooperating unit 3 has been detected, the graphic representation ondisplay 2 is altered to the effect that the representation of the mapsegment now remains unchanged, and vehicle symbol 4 moves and/or rotateson display 2 as a function of the movement of the vehicle. As shown inFIG. 3, a finger 8 of the user has been moved into the vicinity ofoperating unit 3, and the graphic representation of the geographicalmap, that is, the representation of roads 5 and 6 as well as of building7, is unchanged compared to the representation of FIG. 2, although thevehicle has moved further. The movement of the vehicle continues to berepresented via a change in the position and orientation of vehiclesymbol 4 on display 2, as shown in FIG. 3. It is now easily possible totouch the representation of building 7 on display 2, since the positionof building 7 on display 2 is unchanging.

Alternatively, upon the approach of finger 8 to display 2, the speedwith which the representation of the map segment moves may also bereduced as a function of the distance of finger 8 from display 2, and atthe same time, the position of vehicle symbol 4 may be shown variably ondisplay 2 as a function of the vehicle position. If the distance betweenfinger 8 and display 2 drops below a minimum, then, as described inconnection with FIG. 3, the map segment is shown unaltered and onlyvehicle symbol 4 is moved on display 2.

If finger 8 or a corresponding pointing device is removed from display2, then, as described in FIGS. 1 and 2, the map segment is shown againsuch that the vehicle symbol is again located centrally in display 2 andis oriented upwards. Alternatively, from the type of display in FIG. 3,the type of display in FIG. 1 or 2 may also be assumed again if anoperating sequence, e.g., the selection of building 7 for an informationquery or as destination for a route calculation by the navigation systemhas been completed. As an alternative, it is possible to switch betweenthe previously described types of display of the map segment and of thevehicle symbol with the aid of operating elements of operating unit 3,these operating elements taking the form of touch-sensitive surfaces ofdisplay 2, for example.

FIG. 4 shows a display system 1 in which operating elements 9-12 areprovided on touch-sensitive operating unit 3 with the aid of display 2.After operating element 9 has been actuated, display system 1 isswitched to a display operating mode which is also referred as normalmode and which corresponds to the display operating mode described inconnection with FIG. 1. In this normal mode, the orientation andposition of vehicle symbol 4 within display 2 is unchangeable, and themap segment is adjusted according to the movement of the vehicle. Byactuating operating element 10, display system 1 is able to be switchedto a “pause mode” that corresponds substantially to the type of displaydescribed in connection with FIG. 2. The map segment which is shown ondisplay 2 remains unchanged in the pause mode, and the position andorientation of vehicle symbol 4 changes according to the movement of thevehicle.

The example embodiment shown in FIG. 4 includes two further operatingelements 11 and 12, that are used to set two further display modes ofdisplay system 1. By actuating operating element 11, what is termed apre-travel mode is set. In this mode, a future movement of the vehicleis shown on display 2 in time lapse according to a route planned, forinstance, with the aid of a navigation system. The representation takesplace similarly as described in connection with FIG. 1, that is, theposition of vehicle symbol 4 is unchanging and substantially in themiddle of display 2, and the map segment shown on display 2, whichincludes roads 5, 6 and building 7, for example, moves according to theplanned movement of the vehicle in time lapse.

Further operating elements for adjusting the speed of the time lapse maybe provided on operating unit 3. For example, a timeline may beprovided, which makes setting available for the exact chronologicalselection of a map segment. With the aid of operating element 12, thedisplay system may be set to a “return-travel mode.” In thisreturn-travel mode, a route traveled by the vehicle in the past isrepresented in time lapse on display 2, comparable to the pre-travelmode. By actuating operating element 10 during the pre-travel mode orthe return-travel mode, the respective mode may be retained, so thatobjects on the map shown at this instant are able to be selected oractuated like, for example, building 7 shown in the figure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 Display system-   2 Display-   3 Operating unit-   4 Vehicle symbol-   5, 6 Road-   7 Building-   8 The user's finger-   9-12 Operating element

What is claimed is:
 1. A display method for a display system, thedisplay system including a display adapted for graphic representation ofchangeable information and an operating unit adapted for control ofdisplayed information by a user, comprising: detecting an approach ofthe user to the operating unit; and altering the graphic representationas a function of the detected approach to reduce a time rate of displaychange of the graphic representation.
 2. The display method according toclaim 1, wherein the operating unit includes a touch-sensitive surfaceof the display, and the approach of the user to the surface of thedisplay is detected by a proximity sensor.
 3. A di splay system,comprising: a display adapted for graphic representation of changeableinformation; an operating unit adapted for control of displayedinformation by a user; a proximity sensor adapted to detect an approachof the user to the operating unit; and a control unit coupled to thedisplay, the operating unit, and the proximity sensor, the control unitadapted to alter, as a function of an approach of the user to theoperating unit, the graphic representation of the changeable informationto reduce a time rate of display change of the graphic representation ofthe changeable information.
 4. The display system according to claim 3,wherein the display system is adapted to perform a method including:detecting an approach of the user to the operating unit; and alteringthe graphic representation as a function of the detected approach toreduce the time rate of display change of the graphic representation. 5.The display method according to claim 1, wherein if an approach of theuser above a first predetermined distance and below a secondpredetermined distance to the operating unit is detected, the displaychange includes the representation of the geographical map as a functionof a movement of the vehicle, and the representation of the vehicle as afunction of a movement of the vehicle.
 6. The display method accordingto claim 1, wherein the graphic representation includes at least oneanimated graphic object adapted to be selected by a user via theoperating unit in order to obtain further information associated withthe at least one animated graphic object.
 7. The display methodaccording to claim 6, wherein: the altering of the graphicrepresentation includes reducing the time rate of display change of thegraphic representation from an original time rate of display change to areduced time rate of display change; and after the further informationassociated with the at least one animated graphic object has beenprovided in response to the selection of the at least one animatedobject, the graphic representation is further altered by changing thetime rate of display change from the reduced time rate of display changeto the original time rate of display change.
 8. The display systemaccording to claim 3, wherein the display system is adapted such that ifan approach of the user above a first predetermined distance and below asecond predetermined distance to the operating unit is detected, thedisplay change includes the representation of the geographical map as afunction of a movement of the vehicle, and the representation of thevehicle as a function of a movement of the vehicle.
 9. The displaysystem according to claim 3, wherein the display system displays atleast one animated graphic object adapted to be selected by a user viathe operating unit in order to obtain further information associatedwith the at least one animated graphic object.
 10. The display systemaccording to claim 9, wherein the display system is adapted such that:the altering of the graphic representation includes reducing the timerate of display change of the graphic representation from an originaltime rate of display change to a reduced time rate of display change;and after the further information associated with the at least oneanimated graphic object has been provided in response to the selectionof the at least one animated object, the graphic representation isfurther altered by changing the time rate of display change from thereduced time rate of display change to the original time rate of displaychange.